Sacrament of Penance. Confession. Preparation for Oblation.
Sacrament of Penance. Confession. Preparation for Oblation.
Sacrament of penance is carried out on an empty stomach; therefore, food and drink should not be consumed after midnight. This eating rule does not apply to young children who can’t participate because of their age.
The prayer preparation for the oblation of the Divine Body and Blood by tradition requires fasting (restraint from non-vegetarian food – meat, milk, and, during strict fasting, fish) and reading three canons that are usually published in every prayer book: the Canon of repentance; the Supplicatory Canon to the Most Holy Mother of God; the Guardian-Angel Canon. You may ask the priest at the confession or during the talk about the extent of the prayer rule and the acceptable extent of a fast before the Blessed ordinance.
The day before the Oblation or morning before the Divine Liturgy during the reading of the usual prayer rules, prayers to the Holy Oblation are read. These prayers, also referred to as “Access to the Holy Oblation” can be found in every prayer book.
You should arrive at the church at the beginning of the service. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the priest brings a basin with the Holy Sacraments through the opened Holy Doors and utters a prayer which is repeated by the faithful after him:
“I believe, Our Father, and I acknowledge that you are really Jesus Christ, the Son of God that came to our sinful world to save and I will be the first one to be saved. I also believe that this is Your all-pure Body and this is Your precious Blood. I pray to You: forgive me and pardon me of my sins that were made intentionally and unintentionally by saying words, my doings also intentionally and unintentionally, and let me take communion by Your all-pure Sacraments to get rid of all my sins and have an eternal life”.
And another one:
“Accept me as a member of Your Secret Dinner today, the Son of God because I won’t reveal this secret to Your enemies and won’t greet You like Judah did with his kiss full of deceit, but I will follow and worship you like a thief: Think about me, Our Father, in Your domain. Don’t judge and don’t blame me for oblation of Your Holy Secrets, Our Father, but let me do it for the cure of my soul and body. Amen”.
After the priest has finished reading the prayer, communicants come to the basin in turns with arms crossed, the right one on top of the left one. Before the Blessed ordinance each person says his or her name clearly. The priest says the following words: “the servant of God (person’s name) is making a communion with honest and holy Body and Blood of Our Father and God and Our Savior Jesus Christ to get rid of all of my sins and have an eternal life”.
After taking the Body and the Blood of the Savior, the oblationary kisses the edge of the basin. After that he takes a small portion of zeon and a piece of altar-bread which are then prepared on a separate table.
When you return home, it is important that you read the thanksgiving prayers about the Holy oblation. These prayers are also published in prayer books.